Switch-stand.



VNo. 746,911.

A PATENTE!) DEG. 15, 1903. F. G. ANDERSON. SWITCH STAND. APPLIOATION FILED un. 21.1903.

N0 MODEL.

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No. 746,911. Patented December 15, 1903.

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. ANDERSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AMERICAN AVALVE AND METER COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A Y CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SWITCH -STAN D.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,911, dated December 15, 1903. Application filed April 21, 1903. 4Serial No. 153,586. '(No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom it may COW/061%.' face at its center with one member, H, of a Beit known that I, FRANK C. ANDERSON, 'positive clutch the other member, I, being' a citizen of the United States, residing at Cinprovided upon the operating-gear J and on its cinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State under face.

5 of Ohio, have invented certain new and use- The operating-gear J is rigidly secured to 55 ful Improvements in Switch-Stands, of which the target-shaft D, preferably by means of a the following is a full, clear, and exact debolt t passing through the upper extension scription, reference being had to the accomof the hub of the gearJ and through the tarpanying-drawings, forming part o f this speciget-shaft D. This connection serves to roxo eation. Y tate the targetshaft D when the gear J is ro- 6o My invention relates to that class of mechtated, as will be readily understood. anism for operating switches of railways The operating-gearJis preferably made in wherein a target-shaft is provided to carry the form of a double segment, as clearly visible targets for day use and alantern with shown by Fig. 3, with connecting-webs b be- 15 colored lights for night use; and it has for its tween the twosegments. These webs bserve 65 object the provision of simple and eiicient to brace the toothed portions of the gear and means whereby the life of such operating also serve the furtherpurpose-of allowing the mechanism is greatly prolonged over those gear .I to be-made circular in'form, so as to now in general use and whereby the danger completely till the opening in the lower part 2o of breakage to the switch-points is reduced of the two-part housing A and prevent stones 7o to the minimum. or snow or other obstructions from entering The novelty of my invention will be herethe box or housing and interfering with the inafter more 'fully set forth, and specifically operation of the mechanism, as will be readpointed out in the claims. ily understood. The webs b are preferably z5 In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is perforated', as shown in Fig. 3, for the pur- 75 a central sectional side elevation of a switchpose of permitting oil and dust, which will stand embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a accumulate inthe box A, to pass out thereplan view of Fig. 1 with the upper part of the from. housing removed and showing the target' Meshing with one of the segments of the 3o shaft in section. Fig. 3 is a plan viewof the gear J is a pinion K, suitably secured upon 8o operating-gear as shown in Fig. 2, but on an the inner end of a stub-spindle L, to the outer enlarged scale. Fig. L is a plan View of' the endof which is secured the operating-handle triple switch throwing crank arm which M usual in this class of switch-stands.A The forms one of the essential features of my instub-spindleLissuitablyjournaled, as shown 35 vention. in Figs. l and 2, through the housing A. 85

The same letters of reference are used to It will be readily seen that by throwing the indicate identical parts in all the figures. operating-lever M from one side to the other A represents the two-part housing or box the stub-spindle L will be rocked, carrying coveringthe switch-operating mechanism and with it the pinion K, which, meshing with the 4o securedin the usual manner upon the extendgear J, will revolve it, and with it the target- 9oy ing ends of the cross-ties BL Suitably jourshaftD and the switch-throwing crank-arm G, naled in the top of the box A and in the yoke which being connected by means (not shown) C at the bottom of the box is the vertical tartothe point-rails of the switch will throw the get-shaft D, carrying the targets E and havswitch in either direction, according to the 45 ing on its upper end the squared portion F, direction of the movement of the operating- 95 upon which tits the usual varicolored lantern handle M. (not shown) for night signals. Loosely My purpose in providing two sets of teeth mounted upon the target-shaft D and adjaou the gear J is to provide a double life .for cent to the yoke C is the switch-throwing this gear. When Ythe gear has become worn 5o crank-arm G, which is provided on its upper out on one side from continual use or if some roo of the teeth become broken from any cause,

it is only necessary to remove the bolt tt which secures the gear J upon the target-shaft D and revolve the gear upon the target-shaft until the set of teeth upon the opposite side ot the gear come into mesh with the pinion K, when the bolt a may be replaced, which will restore the switch-stand to its operative condition. When this is done, the positive clutch H I, between the gear J and the switchthrowing crank-arm G, will permit of the adjustment of the gear J without disturbing the adjustment of the crank-arm G with relation to the point-rails of the switch.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, I construct the switch-throwing crank-arm G in a manner not usual in this class of switches, and for this reason: Ordinarily these crankarms are provided with either one or two extensions c, provided with openings dfor the passage ofthe bolt which connects the switchthrowing crank-arm to the connecting-bar which operates the switch, and these extensions c are generally made ot' such sizeas to be non-breakable, and in case a train runs through a switch while locked the usual result is a breakage of the point-rail of the switch or a breakage of the operating mechanism of the switch-stand, while in my present construction neither of these results will follow should a train run through the switch while locked, as I construct the extensions c in the manner shown in Fig. 4 with a reduced area of metal between the opening d and the clutch member H. This construction results in weakening the crank-arm G to such an extent that it will break before any ofthe other parts of the switch-stand or of the switch, while leaving it strong enough for the ordinary operation of the switch, and as I provide three of these extensions c on the crank-arm G it will be readily seen that the switch may be improperly run through three times before it becomes necessary to restore any of its parts, as the only thing necessary to be done is the loosening of the upper part of the housing and raising the same a sucient distance to permit of the disengagement of the clutch II I, when the crank-arm may be revolved to the proper position, it being loose upon the target-shaft D and the clutch reengaged, when a new arm will be brought into proper working position and be connected to the point-rails in the usual manner, the position and spacing of the clutch members being such that when the clutch is locked the extensions c of the crank-arm G are always in proper working position.

If preferred, notches e may be cut in the reduced portion ofthe extensions c to insure their breakage under unusual strain.

I have described in the early part of this specification one manner of shifting the gear J so as to bring a new set of teeth into operating position by removing the bolt d, then shifting the gear, and replacing the bolt. Another method of shifting this gear where it is constructed as shown in Fig. 3 is by simply loosening the two-part housing and raising the same a sui'iicient distance to permit of the disengagement of the clutch H I and then revolving the target-shaft one-half turn, which will bring the targets to the same positions they occupied before and bring a new set of teeth on the gear J into mesh with the pinion K, when the box A may be again put together and the clutch be rengaged and the switch restored to its working position, as will be readily understood.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claiml. In switch-operating mechanism, the combination of a vertical target-shaft, an operating-gear fast thereon and adapted to be operated by hand, a switch-throwing crank-arm loosely mounted upon said vertical targetrod, and a positive clutch interposed between said operating-gear and said switch-throwing crank-arm, substantially as described.

2. In switch-operating mechanism, the combination of a vertical target-shaft, an operating-gear adjustably secured thereon, a halidoperated pinion meshing with said operatinggear, a breakable switch-th rowing crank-arm loosely Inounted upon said target-shaft, and a positive clutch interposed between said operating-gear and said switch-throwing crankarm, substantially as described.

3. In switch-operating mechanism, the combination of a vertical target-shaft, an operating-gear adjustably secured thereon, a handoperated pinion meshing with said operatinggear, a three-arm breakable switch-throwing crank-arm loosely mounted upon said targetshaft, and a positive clutch interposed between said operating-gear and said switchthrowing crank arm, substantially as described.

4. In switch throwing crank-arms for switch-stands, the combination with a hub portion of an extension thereon provided with an opening for connection with the point-rails of the switch, a reduced area of metal between said hub portion and said extension, whereby when an unusual strain is put upon said crank-arm, the same will break at said reduced portion, substantially as described.

FRANK C. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

WM. J. PECK, EDWARD PECK.

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